Hamilton Russell, Thorpe Thewles, Stockton

Aug 24 2008 by Eddy Eats, Sunday Sun

Rating: 14/20

Telephone: 01740-630757

Food served: Noon to 9pm

PATIENCE is a virtue I don’t possess, so when the glum-looking barman told me there was a 50-minute wait for food, my heart sank.

We had gone out of our way to visit the Hamilton Russell on the recommendation of a friend.

Having arrived full of expectation — and with rumbling tummies — the prospect of going hungry for nigh on an hour didn’t exactly put us in good fettle.

But at least this dimly lit pub in the village of Thorpe Thewles, near Stockton-on-Tees, had a nice atmosphere, despite the barman’s demeanour.

It soon became apparent why he appeared so humourless. Like all the staff on the day we visited, the poor bloke was rushed off his feet. The queue at the bar was constant and whenever a table became vacant there was a mad scramble for it. Mrs E got lucky on account of her being in the right place at the right time when a couple got up to leave . . . and duly pounced.

Then I ordered a pint of Waggle Dance, a honey-tinged real ale, and a bottle — yes, bottle! — of Merlot for the beloved.

Well . . . it was going to be a long afternoon.

The pub seems to be very much part of village life here but its reputation is such that it attracts scranners from far and wide.

That’s understandable given the extensive menu and homely feel . . . but not the service.

Some might regard the interior a little on the “dark and dingy” side but I think it has character. However, if it’s not to your liking there’s a very pleasant decking area at the rear of the pub.

It’s an ideal spot to while away the hours on a summer’s day, weather permitting . . . so I guess it hasn’t been used much in the last two years.

When our food did eventually arrive, it was worth the wait. We both plumped straight for main courses, She Who Must Be Fed tucking into a traditional roast beef dinner at £8, while I went for breast of chicken with leek dumpling, priced £9.40. The crispy bacon-topped chicken was expertly cooked and, as well as the comforting dumpling, came with cabbage, peppers, mushrooms and mashed potatoes.

Meanwhile, Mrs E’s beef came with Yorkshire pudding, a selection of seasonal vegetables and a rich, flavoursome gravy.

Incredibly, Mrs E declared herself “past hungry” when it came to dessert time but I was no such thing.

And, besides, I’d spied something on the menu I’d always wanted to try . . . key lime pie.

Admittedly, I’d always wanted to try it on the Florida Keys, where it originates, but as I haven’t quite made it there yet I decided Teesside was the next best thing. It was sweet and slightly gooey, as all good fruit pies should be, but I was expecting a little more zing in the aftertaste . . . a touch more bite.

But then, as I’ve yet to try the real thing, I’ve no idea how the Tees version compared.

And — as Mrs Eats pointed out — I still wound up with an empty plate!

:: Travelling south on the A1(M) take the turn off at junction 60 towards Sedgefield on the A689 then, after about one and a half miles, turn right onto the A177.

After about three miles you will arrive at Thorpe Thewles. The pub is in the centre of the village on Bank Terrace.